Sitting in my room editing blog photos and my mind and heart is heavy with so much thought. I think, where is it I can freely, logically, share these thoughts and not be criticized or clutter another persons space unintentionally? Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, even a text seems like such an inappropriate way to voice myself. I don't know who my audience is-so I don't know who I'd want to converse with on the topic. So here I am, faced with familiarity of my blog, the only source I feel comfortable in talking about such a big idea.
Today in church, the message really hit home. Today in church, I felt at home-for the first time. Today in church, God spoke to my heart. And those words are enough to bring tears to my wavering eyes.
The church I attend is a very small Christian church led by a man whom I've known all my life. He is pure in his intentions to preach Gods word, and just this in itself I have never first hand experienced in my previous churches. There's always something underlying that leaves the original mission to share Gods word not priority. Here, I feel wanted-needed even-to be an example and a key to this church and Gods plan for it. The message shared today was centered around success. He started with a quote from Ravi Zacharias, "Success is more difficult to handle than failure." Now, do we agree with that? It's a large concept, but maybe there's truth to it. The longer he moved into the message, the more it spoke to my heart. It was translated to me that the success, if not handled correctly, if not humble about it, if not accepted as a gift from God, then you are undeserving of it and thus cannot sustain it. Failure is easy. Failure is moved on from, not remembered for, it is too tangible. Success however is a journey and if your journey does not involve God and you do not praise and thank God for all the success he has given you, then you can't handle it well or wisely. It made me think of my motives. My success is going to be determined by how far I go in modeling, who I model for, and how well known my name is. My blogs success is determined by how many people read my words, follow me on Instagram, and like my photos. Seemingly, your own success is measured by other people; however, it truly is being measured by yourself, and no matter what, God sees you as successful in his eyes-no matter what his plan may be.
Another food for thought idea proposed was on the concept of self image and confidence. My pastor said "When you are not satisfied with yourself, you insult God." And how true those words are! We think, well sometimes you simply don't feel confident. Its like a blackhole feeling of just unhappiness. It could be the prettiest day, blessed beyond belief, with all your greatest of friends... But the smile you wear is fake because we don't feel satisfied with ourselves. I face it all the time-a jealously for other people: their hair, their clothes, their adventures, their life! Jealousy has the power to eat at your mind for a lifetime. I have to be reminded that that is not Gods life for me! I am not that person for a reason and its okay to like them and what they do or how they look but I need to be happy for who I am already.
God made us in the eyes of himself. You are an extraordinary person just the way you are. We are extraordinary.
Today in church, the message really hit home. Today in church, I felt at home-for the first time. Today in church, God spoke to my heart. And those words are enough to bring tears to my wavering eyes.
The church I attend is a very small Christian church led by a man whom I've known all my life. He is pure in his intentions to preach Gods word, and just this in itself I have never first hand experienced in my previous churches. There's always something underlying that leaves the original mission to share Gods word not priority. Here, I feel wanted-needed even-to be an example and a key to this church and Gods plan for it. The message shared today was centered around success. He started with a quote from Ravi Zacharias, "Success is more difficult to handle than failure." Now, do we agree with that? It's a large concept, but maybe there's truth to it. The longer he moved into the message, the more it spoke to my heart. It was translated to me that the success, if not handled correctly, if not humble about it, if not accepted as a gift from God, then you are undeserving of it and thus cannot sustain it. Failure is easy. Failure is moved on from, not remembered for, it is too tangible. Success however is a journey and if your journey does not involve God and you do not praise and thank God for all the success he has given you, then you can't handle it well or wisely. It made me think of my motives. My success is going to be determined by how far I go in modeling, who I model for, and how well known my name is. My blogs success is determined by how many people read my words, follow me on Instagram, and like my photos. Seemingly, your own success is measured by other people; however, it truly is being measured by yourself, and no matter what, God sees you as successful in his eyes-no matter what his plan may be.
Another food for thought idea proposed was on the concept of self image and confidence. My pastor said "When you are not satisfied with yourself, you insult God." And how true those words are! We think, well sometimes you simply don't feel confident. Its like a blackhole feeling of just unhappiness. It could be the prettiest day, blessed beyond belief, with all your greatest of friends... But the smile you wear is fake because we don't feel satisfied with ourselves. I face it all the time-a jealously for other people: their hair, their clothes, their adventures, their life! Jealousy has the power to eat at your mind for a lifetime. I have to be reminded that that is not Gods life for me! I am not that person for a reason and its okay to like them and what they do or how they look but I need to be happy for who I am already.
God made us in the eyes of himself. You are an extraordinary person just the way you are. We are extraordinary.